Do Guys With Smaller Testicles Make Better Dads?

We don't really know how to broach this topic, because, let's face it: We don't usually discuss ball size in polite company. But, new research out this week is posing a very interesting relationship between the size of a guy's testicles and how attentive a father he is.

Dads were asked a variety of questions about how involved they were in regular caregiving for their children — how often did they put the infants to bed or take them to the doctor — and then researchers measured the size of their balls and their testosterone levels. Likely making for one very unhappy research assistant. And as it turns out, the more involved the dads were with their children, the smaller their testes were, and the lower their testosterone levels.

Interestingly, men's testicles can actually change size over time — so researchers don't know which way the relationship goes. Did men with smaller balls become better parents? Or, did better parenting shift the man's focus away from sex, in effect, shrinking his balls? We imagine some research group is beginning that trial any day now.

The researchers involved in the study are quick to point out that they only measured very specific caregiving activities. There are lots of ways that men parent their children and are involved in their lives, which were not including here. So, we won't assume that this study means that we should stay away from the well-endowed, but it does bring up a lot of interesting questions around traditional masculinity and fatherhood — and how we expect men to parent. (CNN)

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